David Allen:
CLASS OF 1981
Ocean Springs High SchoolClass of 1981
Ocean springs, MS
Mississippi State UniversityClass of 1992
Starkville, MS
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community CollegeClass of 1989
Perkinston, MS
David's Story
Life
After "college hopping" and a brief career in hotel management, I settled-down at Mississippi State University where I completed my degree in Music Education, and served as drum major of the 330-member "Famous Maroon Band." I became a band director, and served as head band director at D'Iberville High School, and assistant director at Ocean Springs High School and MS Gulf Coast Community College. I completed a masters in Educational Administration & Research at USM in 2002, and from 2000-2005, I served as the School-to-Careers director for the Gulfport School District, and directed two career academies at Gulfport High School: an Academy of Hospitality & Tourism, and an Academy of Finance. Currently, I am the assistant principal at Bayou View Elementary School in Gulfport. In my spiritual search for truth, Christ led me to the Catholic Church in 1998, where I am now extremely devout in my faith. I have served as organist at St. James Catholic Church in Gulfport since '98, where I met my wife, Kris, over 6 years ago. Together, we are active in many ministries of the parish and diocese (Biloxi), and I have directed the Diocesan Rosary Rally Choir at the Coast Coliseum for the past 2 years. We have two beautiful (step)daughters, Callie, 19, and Erin, 17. Callie is a National Merit scholar attending Franciscan University in Stuebenville, OH on a full-tuition scholarship; Erin is also a recently-named National Merit semi-finalist and a senior at Gulfport (MS) High, and both girls are active, like their stepfather, in music. I see a few classmates from time-to-time, and especially enjoyed seeing many of you at the Class of 1981 20-year reunion a few years ago (some of you met Kris there!). I am interested in hearing from some old friends and learn what you've been up to; please drop me a line! Pax Christi (Peace of Christ Be With You)!
College
As I...Expand for more
mentioned in my life "bio," I did a lot of "college hopping," and it all began at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. Straight out of high school, I majored in music education and became quickly dismayed with the stuffy, holier-than-thou attitude that permeated the USM school of music, and was talked into transferring to Mississippi State University to major in accounting. Well, after transferring, I seemed more interested in the frat life and partying and soon flunked out of school, and never quite got my footing again in Starkville until much later. I ended up getting a job in a local hotel, and ended up discovering a love for hotel management, and worked in hotels in Starkville, Hattiesburg, and Knoxville (TN). But I soon re-discovered a love of music, and returned to college via MS Gulf Coast Community College (Perk). I became drum major of the band, and graduated as class speaker in 1989 (as most definitely a "non-traditional" student), and transferred back to MSU. I fulfilled a dream and became head drum major of the 330-member Famous Maroon Band, made the President's and Vice-President's lists, and graduated in 1992.
Rather recently, I went back for my masters here on the coast at USM (Gulf Park), and earned it in educational administration in 2002.
Workplace
I had a brief career in hotel management, then finished (finally) a degree in music education in 1992...I became a band director and served in that capacity at D'Iberville (MS) High School, MS Gulf Coast Community College (Perk), and Ocean Springs (MS) High School. In 2000 I became the School-To-Careers Director of Gulfport Schools, and served as director of the Academy of Hospitality & Tourism at Gulfport High School. I have served the past two years as assistant principal at Bayou View Elementary School in Gulfport, where I am happily serving over 500 children.
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Reunions
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